Laau
I ka lāʻau botani, he laau keu me kahi kumu lōʻihi, a i ʻole pahu, e kākoʻo mau ana i lālā a me nā lau. Ma kekahi mau hoʻohana ʻana, ʻoi aku ka liʻiliʻi o ka wehewehe ʻana o ka lāʻau, e laʻa, me nā mea kanu lāʻau me ka ulu lua, nā mea kanu wale nō i hiki ke hoʻohana ʻia ma ke ʻano he lāʻau, a i ʻole nā mea kanu ma luna o kahi kiʻekiʻe i kuhikuhi ʻia. ʻO ka wehewehe ʻana aʻe e pili ana i nā pālima lōʻihi, nā fern laau, nā maiʻa, a me nā ʻohe.
ʻAʻole ʻo ka laau he hui ʻauhau monophyletic akā aia nā ʻano mea kanu like ʻole i hoʻololi kūʻokoʻa i kahi kumu a me nā lālā i ala e piʻi ai ma luna o nā mea kanu ʻē aʻe e hoʻokūkū ai no ka lā. ʻO ka hapa nui o nā ʻano laau he angiosperm a i ʻole nā lāʻau paʻakikī; ʻO ke koena, he nui nā gymnosperm a i ʻole nā lāʻau palupalu. He lōʻihi ke ola o nā laau, hiki i kekahi mau laau i nā kaukani makahiki. Ua ulu nā kumulāʻau ma kahi o 400 miliona mau makahiki i hala aku nei, a ua manaʻo ʻia aia ma kahi o ʻekolu trillion mau kumu lāʻau makua ma ka honua i kēia manawa.
